Recognizing different Epi Les Paul models

10/22/2004 12:03 AM

Borsanova

Recognizing different Epi Les Paul models I have recently bought two Epiphone Les Paul models on Ebay. The first one ("Paula") is declared as a Limited Edition by a stamp on the back of the headstock. The color is tiger burst and it has chrome hardware. The tone pots were in a very bad shape, so I had to replace them. But it had a nice and pretty thick pickguard. The serial number is I 00120317 and thus I suppose it is from 2000. Although the pickups had been replaced by DiMarzios, I wasn't too fond of the sound. After changing the pickguard with the other one, I am now planning to sell it.     The second guitar ("Desdemona") is much better quality under almost any aspect. The colour is probably honey burst, very beautiful without tiger stripes (they built too many of those!) with chrome hardware. It has stock zebra pickups which give it in comparison a much better sound. The crown inlays are better and it has a jack input thas is completely covered with plastic even on the inside (while Paula's is the standard chrome type and open inside). The tuners are plastic covered tulips with a single note and the writing "deluxe" on each case. The serial number is B 8055634 and therefore I think that it's from 1998. Unfortunately this guitar says nothing else about what edition it is.   Desdemona has become my main guitar and now I would like to know some more about her. How can I recognize which edition it is. Could she be a Standard (though without pickup covers) or a Classic or a Classic Plus? Does the writing "deluxe" refer to the tuners or to the whole guitar?     What experience have you made with different editions of Epiphone Les Pauls? Thanks for your help or comment.